Roman Reigns Is the *NEW* WWE Intercontinental Champion

[Jack-Hammer]

Following a great match against the Miz on last night's Raw, the "Big Dog" became the new Intercontinental Champion.

I feel a lot of different ways on this. On one hand, Miz has been so good for the IC title and vice versa that I can't help but feel a slight pang at the notion of h is last few runs ending. Of course, at the same time, it's all part of a journey towards what, in my opinion, will lead to the Miz ultimately winning the title for a total of 10 times before his career is done, thereby breaking Chris Jericho's record 9 title reigns. On the other hand, of all the wrestlers debut in WWE over most of the last 7 years or so, Roman Reigns is really the only guy who hasn't had his career momentum shattered at one time or another due to Vince's illogical booking choices. He's really the only guy who's push has been properly sustained, he was even getting a strong mid-card title push after he'd flopped a drug test, so one advantage of him being champ is that he'll be used well as champ.

As to where this ultimately goes, my initial reaction is that this is all part of a plan to help Roman Reigns make history. I can easily see Vince's plan being that Reigns walks into WrestleMania next year as Intercontinental Champion and we have a champion vs. champion match ala WrestleMania VI between Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. Now we as fans may not view it with that same level of greatness but that wouldn't stop Vince from ramming it down our throats and up our asses simultaneously; I mean, our dislike of something hardly ever does so why should this be any different? At any rate, I think there's a very strong possibility that Reigns will be the first man to be Intercontinental and Universal Champion simultaneously before dropping the IC title soon afterwards.

 

[ShinChan]

The match was very underwhelming. At least, I felt that. It was like I couldn't even think of The Miz pinning Roman Reigns clean in the ring. I couldn't believe one bit that The Miz can survive. I knew that InterContinental Championship is the only title besides Universal Championship that Roman Reigns hasn't won. And I did think that Vince is trying to make Warrior Vs. Hogan v2.0 with Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.

Roman Reigns can main event Raw as the main champion now while Brock Lesnar rests in his home.

 

[CyberPunk]

I like Roman Reigns for the most part, and I can get behind him winning the IC title. However, my biggest issue is how IC title will be used going forward. Roman winning the US title did very little for the title as he barely defended it or even talked about it. Miz made the IC championship the very part of his character. On the other hand, with the Shield and Roman's main event status, it could very well lead to a situation where IC title is not even mentioned.

I'm even less excited about a champion vs champion angle for Mania. I'd much rather have both of them dropping their respective titles and go in a non-title grudge match and let the titles be used for other programs.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Remember Reigns' groundbreaking US title run? Nah, I don't either. It's the time of year when they forget about their secondary titles, even more than they do for the rest of the year. This change exists so we can get a title vs. title match at Mania for a match nobody particularly cares about.

I'm glad it's off The Miz though.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

Indifferent. That's how I feel. I don't really care. He will most likely drop it before Wrestlemania or face Lesnar in a champ vs champ match. Which doesn't really add anything to the match.

Just don't care. But I don't undestand why they feel the urge to give him everything. All at once. It's not just bad for us fans or Reigns, because we feel he's pushed down our throats. It's also bad writing and bad storytelling. Great stories have suspense and a climax. There's never any suspense or climax with this guy. Actually, there was once. That one time he defeated Sheamus to become a champion. Remember what happened then? He got cheered! Wow. Is that astrophysics or the roots of every good story?

 

[Aeon Mathix]

I think everyone knows that it's set in stone Roman Reigns will take on Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship effectively beating him and sending Lesnar off into the sunset if he doesn't resign. This is of course unless someone aka Braun Strowman gets too hot to the point they are forced to change plans. As it stands though I just see this Intercontinental title run as nothing more than a filler episode for Reigns before Mania season starts. It's unfortunate as putting it on someone like Roman Reigns instantly increases the titles value especially if guys like Balor and Joe start gunning for it.

I don't even hate the idea of Reigns vs Lesnar, their last match rocked and was match of the night at WrestleMania 31. It just doesn't need the Universal title. Have it be a grudge match and turn into a good old No Holds Barred demolition between two behemoths. If you really want Roman to end Lesnar for good then that's a more satisfying route to go rather than the main event and ending the show with Reigns yet again having his hand raised something nobody cares to see. Reigns vs Lesnar is fine for the card but have people like Balor, Joe, Strowman or whoever involved in the title picture.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

Being a roman reigns fans, i don't mind this title change at all because it does 2 things as far as long terms booking goes. First it elevate this prestige of the title by having it on somebody that already a top star in the company and it help the shield storyline to play out. I'm sure that by the end of the year, Rollins and ambrose will get the tag title back so that all 3 members can have titles.

Like somebody else wrote, you can milk this ic title reign all the way to mania and that how Reigns get his title shot against lesnar and let the rumble win to Cena which i fell could be the direction they are going with anyway.

I feel that sometimes, we overthink things because what they are doing on tv doesn't please us. We need to stop thinking like we're watching Wrestling when we watch WWE and start thinking like we're watching a saturday morning family show because that's how Vince see WWE. The more Reigns and The rest of the shield will bring in money from merchandise and other things, the more they will get behind them unless you're name is Braun Strowman, which in that case, his size will pretty much guarantee him a big push to the top.

He being push way harder then reigns ever was yet nobody seems to care at all that he's getting to face track treatment but that they're favorite like Balor and Joe who are over with only a certain audience get pass over. The point is, Vince doesn't cares about work rate and 5 star matches like we do, that's not the point of WWE and that why the WWE as been so successful for all theses years. Because, at the end of it all it's entertainment and they are treating as entertainment not wrestling. Reigns title win serve a bigger purpose in a storyline that will develop over time and i for one will give it a chance to see it play out before shitting all over it. When you look at it, Reigns isn'T being push harder then anybody else on the roster, he'S just more over then a lot of the indy darlings on the roster right now.

 

[Navi]

I'm meh about the whole thing. I don't like the fact that Reigns just says "Hey I want a belt. I like the looks of that one, I want it." And like I said last night on the LD thread, he has a match and wins. No story, no build, just nothing.

When he held the US title can anyone even name a feud that he had while holding it. He did nothing for that title, just as he will do nothing for this one. And why all of a sudden is this a reason for him to go against Lesnar, when did that shit come up?

I can't remember Miz every being put in the same sentence as Lesnar before last night, so I'm shaking my head as to why it would be a good reason for Reigns to get the shot against Lesnar. Someone will have to explain that to me.

Actually the IC title should be defended at Mania. Not put in a match with Lesnar all for the result to be Reigns is holding both of RAW's titles. I mean come on that's just a little much even for die hard Reigns fans.

Put Reigns and Joe or Balor in a match for the IC title and Strowman against Lesnar. Strowman should be pushed, the crowd is behind him, and he is believable as a big guy who can go in the ring.

 

[Navi]

When you look at it, Reigns isn'T being push harder then anybody else on the roster, he'S just more over then a lot of the indy darlings on the roster right now.

How can you call yourself a longtime wrestling fan, when you use term's like "indy darlings". It doesn't matter where someone comes from, they are WWE now.

The WWE has been abysmal in growing their own talent in the last decade and we're seeing the results of it now. They had to go out and get more from other companies, otherwise they wouldn't have half the roster they have now.

Rollins and Ambrose are indy darlings, so I guess they shouldn't be holding titles anytime soon either, right.

 

[sMark]

I don't see any problem with Reigns vs Lesnar in WM main event, what concern me is inclusion of HHH and McMahons again, i mean enough is enough, McMahons'/HHH same stories runs from 1998, 20 years now.
I want to see Angle at WM card, but against someone he can put over and make a great match with (Owens or Balor for example...even Miz will be ok), i don't want HHH/Shane/Taker/Kane/Show at all, face it, their time has passed, but WWE prefer to live in the past, and this is what i have a problem with and this is exactly why i don't watch many shows anymore.
Really i simply tired of watching this same old trash every year.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I love Miz, he is so much better than people give him credit for, but since the majority of the fan base don't buy him as legit, I think moving the title off him onto someone like Roman will work in the interim. First off, it makes The Shield look like a bigger deal, especially if Ambrose and ROllins recapture the tag titles. Secondly, it provides the potential for better matches around the belt. Like I said, I love Miz and think he is undervalued, but his in ring work is never going to lead to a classic, memorable match. He can deliver consistently solid B level matches, but few guys on the roster have that big fighter feel like Roman. Every match he is in feels like a big fight. Thirdly, because Roman is viewed as a bigger star, it will feel more natural for the IC Title to be the main belt on TV and likely on PPVs until Lesnar is back. The next Raw PPV is the Rumble in late January. You you have about nine weeks with no World Champion, and Roman as IC Champ is able to fill that spot much better than what Miz as IC Champ could.

Of course this is WWE and there is every chance it will turn into his super happy fun time US Title reign all over again, but I think the people who are already dreading this being another Warrior/Hogan scenario are off base. No one even remembers that Warrior's IC Title was on the line in that match, hell most don't even remember him being IC Champ.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

No one even remembers that Warrior's IC Title was on the line in that match, hell most don't even remember him being IC Champ.

C'mon now, that statement is pure, 100% bullshit and you know it. WrestleMania VI was Warrior's finest hour, plain and simple. The whole event of WrestleMania was built around "Champion vs. Champion, Title for Title" and whether you're a fan of Warrior or not, and I'm not, he's generally viewed as one of the top Intercontinental Champions in history because of the trajectory of his career: he happened to be Intercontinental Champion while moving to the main event picture where he toppled the biggest star in the history of pro wrestling.

As for Reigns winning the title, PWInsider.com is reporting that Miz is taking time off to shoot the next installment of the Marine series and that last night was his last night for a while. There's no timetable for his return but Miz will most likely be out for the rest of this year, maybe popping up a few weeks before the Royal Rumble.

I suppose it's possible Miz will regain the title via a rematch but it's doubtful as I simply do not see Roman Reigns losing a singles match anytime in the foreseeable future; that's especially true once the Royal Rumble comes and goes so if Miz is going to regain it from Reigns, then I think it'll have to be within the next 7 to 8 weeks or Reigns will be carrying the title into battle against Lesnar at WrestleMania.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

How can you call yourself a longtime wrestling fan, when you use term's like "indy darlings". It doesn't matter where someone comes from, they are WWE now.

The WWE has been abysmal in growing their own talent in the last decade and we're seeing the results of it now. They had to go out and get more from other companies, otherwise they wouldn't have half the roster they have now.

Rollins and Ambrose are indy darlings, so I guess they shouldn't be holding titles anytime soon either, right.

Sorry if i offended you with this comment but learn to read before getting offended, all you saw is the fact that i use the term indy darlings which is a terms that's been use by a lot of fans and respected dirt sheet writer in the past. All i'm saying is Reigns is more right now then somebody like a samoa Joe or finn balor, i'm not saying that others don't need to get push or get title it's like jerry Lawler said before, It doesn't matter what you did before coming to WWE.

Also by the way, i would never called myself a wrestling fans because i'm not a wrestling fan, i'm a WWE fan and WWE isn't wrestling, it's sports entertainment and their a big difference between the two.

 

[swallop]

It was a pretty terrible match. I new from the booking roman would win miz was beating him down the entire match just so roman could get a comeback and have half the crowd on his side. The guy still got heavily booed after he won the title. Miz is shooting a movie but couldn't he have dropped the title to you know.. somebody who actually needs it?? Roman holding that title is a complete waste of time. Why couldn't jason jordan win it? Maybe even elias or somebody thats young and could actually USE the title. I feel like the only reason roman won was to make him a grand slam champion pretty cheap if you ask me.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

C'mon now, that statement is pure, 100% bullshit and you know it. WrestleMania VI was Warrior's finest hour, plain and simple. The whole event of WrestleMania was built around "Champion vs. Champion, Title for Title" and whether you're a fan of Warrior or not, and I'm not, he's generally viewed as one of the top Intercontinental Champions in history because of the trajectory of his career: he happened to be Intercontinental Champion while moving to the main event picture where he toppled the biggest star in the history of pro wrestling.

I'm not saying people don't remember Warrior's IC title reign, I'm saying that most people forget that that particular match was title vs. title. Hogan is one of only like three or four guys who have challenged for the World, IC, and Tag Team titles at Wrestlemania, and most people don't know that because they forget the match was title for title. They also probably also forget the tag title match with Beefcake at 9 against Money Inc, but I digress.

Granted you have a solid ten years on me, and during Wrestlemania 7 I wasn't alive (just by a week though), so maybe the build was a big deal at the time it took place but I think that the magnitude of the build has been lost to time.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

It was a pretty terrible match. I new from the booking roman would win miz was beating him down the entire match just so roman could get a comeback and have half the crowd on his side. The guy still got heavily booed after he won the title. Miz is shooting a movie but couldn't he have dropped the title to you know.. somebody who actually needs it?? Roman holding that title is a complete waste of time. Why couldn't jason jordan win it? Maybe even elias or somebody thats young and could actually USE the title. I feel like the only reason roman won was to make him a grand slam champion pretty cheap if you ask me.

No one needs a title, the title needs people. Your line of thinking is why so many guys flop when they win a title early in the careers, because they aren't ready. Do you think people would buy Elias as champ? Fans give Jordan zero positive reaction, you think putting a shiny prop on him would help? The man makes the title, not the other way around.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

Main page is reporting that Miz is taking time off to shoot new Marine movie(as if we needed any other after first) so that is why the change. Not surprised that they did this then.

 

[swallop]

No one needs a title, the title needs people. Your line of thinking is why so many guys flop when they win a title early in the careers, because they aren't ready. Do you think people would buy Elias as champ? Fans give Jordan zero positive reaction, you think putting a shiny prop on him would help? The man makes the title, not the other way around.

Have jason jordan use his father to get another opportunity. Its the perfect heel storyline jordan needs. He's already hated, He would be even more hated if the fans new he used his father to get the title. This isnt brain surgery.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Have jason jordan use his father to get another opportunity. Its the perfect heel storyline jordan needs. He's already hated, He would be even more hated if the fans new he used his father to get the title. This isnt brain surgery.

Except no one will want to boo Kurt at this point. Less than a year after his long awaited return, turning Kurt heel would be a worse move than putting the title on a guy who gets zero reaction.

 

[JoeMallard]

Oh goody another reason I need to start tuning out of Raw again.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Mixed feelings about this. The upside is that with Brock holding the Universal Championship hostage, now Roman Reigns can main event any remaining Raw exclusive PPV events between now and the Royal Rumble. If they even have any. Maybe they do one at the start of the year, bringing back New Year's Revolution or something. The downside is that it may mean no male singles stars on Raw (disregarding the cruiserweights) are going to be winning any titles anytime soon. Reigns VS Brock for the Universal is bad enough. Do we seriously have to get the Intercontinental Championship potentially mixed in with that inevitable disaster of a match too? Midcard belts are for midcarders. As much as I dislike Reigns he is WAY above the Intercontinental Championship. There's plenty of other guys who would benefit from it significantly more. I'll try to be optimistic about it though. He IS better for the title than The Miz at least.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Uh sure. Whatever. That was my reaction last night, and it hasn’t really changed much since. Why are Reigns and Miz even feuding? Because... well... Roman hasn’t been IC Champion and we want him to win it. Okay what’s the story? Uhh...

It’s the same problem seen often in WWE. They do things for no reason yet still expect fans to care. However fans won’t care if they’re not given a reason to care. Remember the Shield reunion? They practically advertised it before the show, and then it just happened. And that was that. No reason was given, and so it didn’t generate near as much interest as it could have.

As for Reigns actual title reign, who knows. His title win wasn’t that great in the first place because it lacked drama. Could anyone seriously see Miz pinning Reigns? I can’t and well that’s honestly fine. Reigns or any other face of the company shouldn’t be losing on Raw regularly. However the problem is when commentary treats it like this huge moment on par with Hogan slamming Andre. How can The Big Dog overcome these odds? SUPERMAN PUNCH!! Oh come on it’s the same predictable ending everyone saw coming from a mile away. It’s the same problem Cena had for 10 years. No one wants the clean cut babyface overcoming the odds every week. A little bit of character depth and edge would certainly help, but WWE isn’t going to change anything. Seriously Reigns is going to headline his fourth straight Mania, so his push isn’t stopping any time soon. Then they wonder why interest in the product is fading.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

I don't see Roman walking into Mania with the title. If he didn't get the Universal title last year when he was US Champion, I don't think they'll do it with the IC strap. It's more about giving him more accolades so down the line they can proclaim him as 'one of the most decorated champions in history' and various other buzzword type things. Its clear they want Miz to hold the record for most reigns and accumulative days as IC Champion, so he's getting it back and with his return probably coinciding right around the 25th Anniversary show and the want/need for a title change to mark the occasion, I can easily see them doing a multi-man match where Roman doesn't get pinned.

Or alternatively Undertaker isn't retired and he costs him the title leading to a rematch either at the Rumble or at Mania? I mean it's not what I want, but it's possible, right? Anyway, bottom line, Roman is holding that title to enhance his reputation and keep it on TV while Miz films a movie. It'll be back with the 'A-Lister' soon enough.

 

[Spencesc11]

I know this is probably not what the "company" will do but what if they did this???

Reigns holds the I-C Title until Summerslam when he faces "Braun Stroman" for the Universal Title???

Stroman is way over right now. I would do this with him.....
Stroman dominates and wins Rumble
Stroman defeats Lesnar at Mania to win Universal Title
Reigns vs. Stroman at Summerslam

In the mean time Reigns can bring prestige to the I-C Title like Cena did with his US Title run. Imagine all the great matches he could have vs. Balor, Joe, Cesaro, etc.. A dominant mid-card run could give him a nice reset

 

[Garak]

Uh sure. Whatever. That was my reaction last night, and it hasn’t really changed much since. Why are Reigns and Miz even feuding? Because... well... Roman hasn’t been IC Champion and we want him to win it. Okay what’s the story? Uhh...

Sometimes, that's all you need. After all, in a business that's pretending to be a competitive sport, isn't holding a championship a goal in and of itself, particularly when you don't have one right now?

I'm no big Reigns fan or Shield fan for that matter, but I kind of like the way this was handled. Rollins and Ambrose pointed out they had gold and Roman didn't.

Yes, commentary did oversell this, but at least they're showing interest rather than shilling the next PPV.